Remodeling for Resale

Redesigning or giving a facelift to a kitchen before selling.

Some questions you should have answers for before starting the process…

1. What is my budget?

2. What are you hoping to achieve within this budget, or a list of your wants and wishes?

3. Can I DIY or do I need a professional?

Setting your budget in the beginning will help you avoid biting off more than you can chew and it helps set realistic expectations. If you would like to have new cabinets installed but don’t know what the cost is, it is always a good idea to bring in measurements for a quick quote.

Staying within the current kitchen footprint will save design and construction time and also money. Keep in mind that if new cabinets are within your budget they might be just the thing that causes the rapid clicker that is going though all of those real estate websites to stop all look at your house.  Not having to fuss with the kitchen is a huge draw to buyers that are looking for an “almost move in ready house”. If you are choosing between redoing a bathroom or a kitchen, remember that bathrooms tend to be less scary for a remodel. A new kitchen might just give the buyer the confidence to purchase your house knowing one of their “Must haves or wishes” is off the list.

Should I install the kitchen myself or hire the pros? My rule of thumb is if you not able to cut a clean miter (or you have no idea what a miter is) joint for door, window or baseboard moldings and use caulk like icing on a lopsided cake to make it look pretty. Call on the professional. Cabinets are at eye level and poor crown molding installation or gaps between cabinet returns to the wall are always critiqued and stand out.

This can make quality cabinets look bad.

When you are selecting finishes, look for colors that are neutral. This will allow the new owners to put in the finishing touches according to their tastes. Neutral colors may not be your style but they most likely won’t turn off perspective buyers either.

If you are keeping the existing cabinets and just updating the countertops it is always a good idea to go ahead and update the backsplash as well.

Here are some combinations that work great:

Keeping existing Dark or Honey Oak cabinets:

Peanut Butter Ornamental, Coffee Brown and White Caledonia (Left to Right above)

The lightest option is the White Caledonia and works well with both cabinet colors. This granite is predominantly “Warm” white with accents of black and grey which would brighten up and give a fresh facelift to the space. Peanut Butter Ornamental has great rich medium tones and is a welcoming choice for any accent colors the new owner will want to use in the space. The darkest and richest of the three is the Coffee brown with its charcoal and hot chocolate tones it adds a pop and the contrast you might be looking for.

Remodeling for resale:

Wolf Cabinets (Dartmouth Door Style) Painted White

New Caledonia Granite, Giallo Ornamental Granite

Waypoint Cabinets (620 Door Style) Maple with a Cognac Stain

Ivory Fantasy Granite, Blue Flower Granite

Diamond Cabinets (Bailey Door Style) Cherry with a Brierwood Stain

Blue Haven Granite, Solaris Granite

Once you pick the cabinets that fit in your budget, next select a stone that is neutral and compliments your house. Blue Flower and Blue Haven Granite are currently popular stone choices for customers that don’t want the veins but still would like the organic textures and chunky colors that granite provides. Mixing these with any of the three cabinets would keep the space welcoming and would allow the new homeowners to put their finishing touches on the space. A creamy paint with a hint of caramel will suit any new homeowner and would let the blue/grey tones in the granite speak for themselves.  White or

Stainless steel appliances would work well and add a nice pop to the space. Accenting with brushed nickel hardware and light fixtures are just the finishing touches that will add the final sparkle to complete the space.

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